Set of five flint axes. Denmark, Late Neolithic, ca. 2000 B.C.

Set of five flint axes. Denmark, Late Neolithic, ca. 2000 B.C.
Carved and polished flint.
Provenance: collection of Peter Sørensen Petersen (1882–1964), Slotsgartner (castle gardener). Found during the interwar period in western and southern Zealand and on Funen, Denmark.
One of the pieces bears the ancient inscription “Søllerødskov,” likely referring to its place of discovery in Søllerød, Zealand.
Measurements: between 17.5 and 28.5 cm in height.

The collection comprises five flint axes of varying sizes and hues, representative of one of the most technically distinctive productions of the Danish Neolithic period. The abundance of high-quality flint in Denmark fostered a remarkable development of flint-knapping and polishing techniques, which made it possible to produce tools with regular profiles and carefully worked edges. The larger specimens also required a particularly rigorous selection of raw material and a lengthy manufacturing process.

In addition to their function as tools primarily intended for woodworking, polished axes acquired significant social and symbolic meaning. The large, meticulously crafted specimens may have served as status symbols, while the numerous finds in deliberate hoards also attest to their role in ritual practices during the Scandinavian Neolithic period.

The historical provenance lends particular interest to the collection: the five pieces belonged to Peter Sørensen Petersen (1882–1964), a Slotsgartner (castle gardener), and were found during the interwar period at various sites in western and southern Zealand and on Funen. This information allows them to be directly linked to their region of origin and to a collection history dating from the first half of the 20th century.